Means for manufacturing wire rope and the like



May 25, 1943- E. .1. REARDON MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING WIRE ROPE AND THE LIKE Filed April 11, 1941 M m Q 4 H 0 5 0 J n I 2/ m a Patented May 25, 1943 MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING WIRE ROPE AND THE LIKE Eugene J. Beardon, to The American East Haven, Conn, assignor Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 11, 1941, Serial No. 388,166

(Ci. s -s) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the making of wire rope and the like, and particularly to an improved method 01' and means for applying tension to the strands in the laying operation during the forming of rope in a rope making machine.

In rope making machines and stranding machines ior making wire rope and the like, there is usually provided a pluraliy of rotatable cradles with each having a reel or spool arranged therewith for holding a coil of strand material, such as stranded wire, with the cradles arranged concentrically about the axis of the machine and with the axes oi! the cradles arranged substantially parallel thereto. The cradles are adapted to be rotated around the axis of the machine and, at the same time, about their respective axes as the wire is reeled therefrom and passes to the laying die to form the rope.

For various reasons well known to those skilled in the art of rope making, it is desirable that the strands used in forming the rope be under tension as they pass through the laying die and are laid in place thereby to form the rope. Heretofore, such back tension was applied to the stranded wires, usually by means of a mechanism incorporated with each of the reels or spools. However, the applying of tension to the strands in such a manner is unsatisfactory'for several reasons. In the first place, as the strand is paid oi! the spool, the tension in the strand is bound tovary due to the changing lever arm as the coil on the spool 01' reel diminishes in size. That is to say, the tension to which the strand is subjected decreases as the size of the coil decreases with the use of such tension applying mechanism which is, or course, unsatisfactory in that the strands would not be paid at the same tension at all times.

In the second place, it is practically impossible to obtain any great amount of tension in the strand, with' tension applying devices incorporated with the spool or reel, due to the fact that if any great amount of tension is employed, that portion of the strand being paid off tends to be forced down between the convolutions of the coil on the reel, which is also unsatisfactory. Furthermore, when tensioning devices are applied directly to the spool or reel, it is diiiicult to obtain an equal tension on allof the strands. primarily for thereason that while the payoff of the strand is constant, the peripheral speed in revolutions per minute changes with a resultant change in the frictional value to which the spools or reels are subjected by the tension applying means. Also, it is practically impossible to place the strands on the spools uniformly so that the same will pay off at a uniform rate.

In the present invention, there is provided a tensioning means arranged between each of the cradles and the laying die which applies an equalized and uniform tension to all of the strands as they pass to the laying die from the spools or reels and by which the tension being applied can be easily and accurately controlled, thereby eliminating all of the above named disadvantages.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved means for applying tension to the strands as they are being laid in a rope making machine which will apply an equal and positive tension to each of the strands at all times thereby providing a finished rope in which the strands are uniformly laid and positioned.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved means for applying tension to strands machine which will not only apply a uniform tension to each of the strands but, at the same time, one in which the tension on the strands can be easily and conveniently adjusted as desired.

It is a further'object of this invention to proride an improved means for applying tension to strands as they are being laid in a rope making machine, which is simple and inexpensive in its construction and, at the same time, a tensioning means which is effective and efllcient in its use.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent during the course of the following specification and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown. for the purpose of illustration, several embodiments which my invention may assume in practice. 7

In the drawing: I I

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a vertical rope laying machine showing the improved tensioning means of my invention incorporated therewith; and

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a modified form of the tensioning means of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved tensioning means of my invention is shown incorporated merely for the purpose of illustration with a vertical rope making machine, and it will be understood that it may also be used in connection with stranding machines and the like of the planetary type. There is shown in as they are being laid in a rope making Figure 1 of the drawing the cradle assembly and the associated parts of such a rope making machine, which consists generally of a base 2 on which there is arranged in bearing 3 carried thereby a vertically disposed mast or shaft 4. There is carried by the mast l, a lower spider member 5 and an upper spider 6 which are spaced apart from each other. There is concentrically arranged around the shaft or mast 4, between the spiders 5 and 6 in suitable bearings carried thereby, a plurality of cradles l with the cradles rotatably mounted substantially parallel to the axis of the machine or the mast t and for rotation in a plane substantially parallel thereto. There is carried by each of the cradles 1 a spool or reel 8 arranged in suitable bearings carried thereby, which are mounted for rotation on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the cradles and which are adapted to hold a coil of strand material, such as a coil of stranded wire 9. Below the lower spider 5 there is arranged suitable gearing for rotatably driving the shaft 4 and the cradles l, which consists of a gear Ill arranged on shaft 4 directly below the lower spider 5 having a drive gear I! arranged therewith which is adapted to be driven in any suitable manner. There is arranged in the lower spider 5, between the mast B and each of the cradles l, a stud shaft l3 having a gear I! rotatably arranged thereon, each of which are adapted to mesh with the gear l and respective gears l' arranged on downwardly extending shaft portions it carried by the lower end of each of the cradles l.

According to the present invention, there is arranged at a spaced distance above the upper spider B on the shaft 4, another spider member H, and between the spiders 6 and I! there is arranged in suitable bearings carried thereby a plurality of yoke-like members l8 corresponding in number to the number of cradles l and mounted for rotation on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of the rotation of the cradles and which are adapted to rotate simultaneously.

therewith. It ,is preferable that the yoke-like members l8 be made integral with their respective cradles 1, preferably by securely attaching the lower end of the yoke-like members to an upwardly extending shaft portion is carried by the upper end of each of the cradles l and extending through the upper spider 6. There is rotatably carried by each of the yoke-like members IS a drum member 20 which is mounted for halves being pivotally attached together by means of pin 23 to one side of the drum and having a bolt 24 arranged through the ends of the halves pnthe opposite side thereof with a compression coil spring 25 carried by the bolt for yieldably holding the two halves around the drum.

There is arranged above the spider I! a thrust bearing 26 for supporting the upper end of the mast or shaft 4, and there is arranged beyond the thrust bearing a laying means, such as a laying die 21, for laying the strands in position to form the rope in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. There is provided a hauloii or reeling means (not shown) for collecting the rope after it has been formed.

In the practice of the present invention, the stranded wires pass from each of the reels 0 to their respective drums 20 carried by the yokelike members l8 with a turn or two therearound, preferably over an idling pulley 28, and then to and through the laying die 2? in a conventional manner to the head of the machine, from which point the completely formed rope is directed to be reeled or coiled. It will be understood that the strands are pulled through the laying die 21 from the reels 8 by the haulofl mechanism, and it is the purpose of the drums 20 to place the strands under tension as they pass into and through the laying die. Therefore, it is important that the strands be convoluted sumciently around the drums 20 so as to insure that there will be no slippage between the drum and the strands as they pass therearound and are being pulled therefrom. The drums then become a constant speed, back-tensioning or payofl mechanism which allows 'the strands to be paid 01! in a. uniform manner.

Thus, it will be seen that as the strands pass to the laying die, they are under tension, which causes the strands to be set down into place firmly at the point of twist, namely, at the die 21 around the core member or strand ll.

It will be understood that the tension applied to the strands can be adjusted by manipulating the nuts carried by the bolts 24 so as to equalize the tension on all of the strands. While a braking mechanism has been shown for retarding the rotation of the drums, it will be understood that any other suitable means may be provided for retarding the motion of the same. It is desirable that the drums be arranged so that tensions greaterthan approximately 15 per cent of the breaking strength of the strands can be applied thereto, thereby forcing the strands down into position around the core member in the formed rope under conditions to which they are sub- Jected when in use in the finished rope.

In Figure 2 of the drawing, there is shown a. slight modification of my invention. In this construction, there is provided a pair of drums 2O oppositely disposed from-each other. It may be desirable to use such a construction so as to assure a more uniform tension on the strands,

or where a large rope is being formed from rela-' tively large strands. As before, the strands pass from the cradles over and around both of the drums, preferably several turns therearound, over the idling sheave 28 and to the laying die 21.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that the tensioning means, namely, the drums 20, are made an integral part of their respective cradles and are adapted to rotate therewith, thereby eliminating any twisting of the strands and, at

the same time, subjecting the strands to a uniform tension, thereby obtaining a finished rope product with' the strands properly laid in positlon therein so as to provide a pre-stretched rope.

While I have shownand described several speciflc embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these embodiments are merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

. I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described for making rope and the like, a plurality of rotatably arranged cradles with each adapted to hold a coil of strand material, means for laying the strands of material, means for applying tension to each of said strands as the same pass from said cradles to said laying means, including a pair of oppositely disposed rotatable drums arranged between each of said cradles and said laying means which are adapted to rotate simultaneously with said cradles, and means for retarding the rotation of at least one of said drums, said strand material adapted to pass around both of their respective drums so as to place that portion of each of said strands between said drums and said laying means under tension as the strands pass thereto.

2. In a machine of the class described for making rope and the like, a plurality of rotatably arranged cradles with each adapted to hold a coil of strand material, means for rotatably supporting said cradles with the axes of rotation of said'cradles being concentrically arranged, means for laying the strands of material, a yoke-like member arranged beyond each of said cradles between the same and said laying means and which is adapted to rotate simultaneously with said cradles, a pair of oppositely disposed drums carried by each of said yoke-like members and mounted for rotation on axes substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of said cradles and said yoke-like members, a braking means arranged with at least one of said drums for retarding the rotation thereof, said strand material adapted to pass around both of their respective drums so as to place that, portion of each of said strands between said drums and said laying means under tension as the strands pass thereto and are being laid, and means for adjusting the braking force of each of said braking means whereby the tension applied to the strands can be adjusted and equalized.

3. In a machine of the class described for making rope and the.like, a plurality of rotatably arranged cradles with each adapted to hold a coil of strand material; means for rotatably supporting said cradles with the axes of rotation of said cradles being concentrically arranged, means for laying the strands of material, a rotatable member arranged beyond each of said cradles with the inner end of said rotatable members connected to the adjacent end of their respective members in which'the outer free end of each of said rotatable members is journaled and securely held for rotatable movement, a drum carried by each of said rotatable members and mounted for rotation therein on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of said cradles and rotatable members, a braking means arranged with said drum for retarding the rotation thereof, said strands of material adapted to pass around their respective drums so as to place that portion of each of said strands between said drums and said laying means under tension as the strands pass thereto and are being laid whereby the strands are simultaneously tensioned and twisted into position at the point of twist, and means for adjusting the braking force of each of said braking means whereby the tension applied to each of the strands can be adjusted and equalized.

.4. In a machine of the class described for making rope and the like, a plurality of rotatably arranged cradles with each adapted to hold a coil of strand material, means for rotatably supporting said cradles with the axes of rotation of said cradles being concentrically arranged, means for laying the strands of material, an outwardly extending shaft arranged on the outer end of each of said cradles, a rotatable member arranged beyond each of said cradles opposite the shaft carried thereby to which the respective means arranged with said drum for retarding the rotation thereof, said strands of material adapted to pass around their respective drums so as to place that portion of eachof sald strands between said drums and said laying means under a tension as the strands pass thereto and are being laid whereby the strands are simultaneously tensioned and twisted into position at the point of twist, and means for adjusting the braking torce of each of said braking means whereby the tension applied to each of the strands can be adjusted and equalized. i

EUGENE J. REARDON. 

